This invention relates to a multi-level trapeze handle and support system for assisting disabled or elderly persons to shift, sit up and transfer out of their bed independent of any assistance.
Bed mobility for elderly and disabled persons requires assistance in several ways; to shift sideways to a more comfortable position or remove weight from a sore section of the body, to pull oneself up from a lying down position to a seated position in bed, to pivot around to seated position on the side of the bed, and rise to a standing position beside the bed.
In order to execute this entire sequence of motions, the person must have access to gripping surfaces on which to pull, push or simply bear weight for balancing purposes. One of the most popular devices to assist with this function is the over-the-bed trapeze handle.
Conventional trapeze handles, named after the "trapezoid" shape, are more commonly shaped like an equal sided triangle. This triangle handle shape has been used for well over 100 years over hospital and home beds to help individuals pull themselves up to a sitting position as well as to shift position in bed. The triangle shape unfortunately only provides one horizontal rail on which to grasp to pull oneself up to a sitting position. This reduces ones capabilities in two ways . . . Firstly, the standard trapeze handle places high demands on elbow/arm range of motion--in order to pull oneself up to a fully sitting up position from lying down, ones arms are forced to pull to such a point that the elbows are awkwardly fully bent before one is fully sitting up. Secondly, the standard trapeze handle makes poor use of available arm strength--The more ones elbows become bent, the less force one can generate.
Our invention, the mulit-level trapeze handle, was design to provide the best possible assistance to those needing help to sit up and move in bed. The difference is in the second horizontal rail offered; it provides a second higher level allowing one to effectively "climb up" to a seated position. The second higher rail also reduces the range of motion required of the elbow and shoulder. Additionally, by pulling from the higher rail one can produce significantly more force to pull oneself up to sitting.
Also of note is that trapeze handles must be suspended from an overhead structure. Traditionally, these structures have required special beds, or bulky floor mounted structures. In addition, once the user has used a trapeze to rise to a seated position in bed, the trapeze is no longer effective in providing support to help the user stand up from the bed.
Clearly no single ideal support device exists in the prior art to cover the optimal requirements for overhead support to facilitate sitting up in bed, through to support beside the bed for standing assistance.